Staff Reporter :
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has warned that brutal funding cuts in the humanitarian sector are putting millions of lives at risk.
The consequences for people fleeing danger, he said, will be immediate and devastating.
“We appeal to member states to honour their commitments to displaced people.
Now is the time for solidarity, not retreat,” Grandi said in a statement on Thursday, highlighting the impact of global aid cuts on refugees.
He added that refugee women and girls, already at extreme risk of rape and other forms of abuse, are losing access to vital services that once kept them safe.
Children are being left without teachers or schools, which pushes them into child labour, trafficking, or early marriage.
“Refugee communities will have less shelter, water, and food. Most refugees stay close to home, and slashing aid will make the world less safe, driving more desperate people to become refugees or to keep moving onwards,” said the UN Refugee Agency chief.
Grandi noted that the UNHCR is seeking innovative and efficient ways to deliver its mission, ensuring every donation is maximised for those fleeing danger. “Over 90 per cent of our staff are on the front lines, delivering for affected communities,” he said.
In the past year alone, the UNHCR responded to 43 refugee emergencies. However, with less funding, fewer staff, and a reduced UNHCR presence in countries hosting refugees, Grandi warned that lives would be lost.
“This is not just a funding shortfall – it is a crisis of responsibility,” he said, emphasising that the cost of inaction will be measured in suffering, instability, and lost futures.
“Our commitment to people forced to flee remains unwavering. With continued support, we can identify and assist the most vulnerable, deploy rapidly when new emergencies hit, help stabilise fragile regions, and facilitate the safe return of refugees,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Adviser to the Interim Government Dr Muhammad Yunus has called for global action against racial injustice and highlighted the plight of the Rohingya people, who continue to suffer from racial discrimination and prolonged statelessness.
Since August 2017, Bangladesh has been hosting over 1.3 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas, and the repatriation of these people is the only sustainable solution to this prolonged crisis, he said in a message marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Dr Yunus reminded the global community of the need to engage actively to ensure the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar.
On this occasion, Bangladesh reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance in all its forms.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).
“As a state party to ICERD, Bangladesh upholds non-discrimination as a core principle of governance and society,” the chief adviser stated.
